


Samhainophobia

by sahyoschild



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Comfort, Excessive Drinking, F/F, Fluff, Love at First Sight, side dahyo - Freeform, side jeongmisana - Freeform, side motzu - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 12:04:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21253118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sahyoschild/pseuds/sahyoschild
Summary: Nayeon is terrified of Halloween but gets dragged to a Halloween party by Jeongyeon. She meets Chaeyoung there who makes Halloween a little more bearable.ORThree Halloweens with Nachaeng.





	Samhainophobia

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween y'all! Have some spooky themed fluff because there isn't enough nachaeng on this website!

Nayeon hated Halloween. She hated it so intensely. Every year when it came up to the 31st of October she wanted to curse out whoever decided to make this date a celebrated holiday.

In Nayeon’s defense, she loved almost everything about Halloween. She would welcome a holiday that encouraged her to eat sweet things until she could practically feel the sugar coating her teeth. She also loved to dress up, having a flare for the dramatics since she was a child. Halloween would have been the perfect holiday for her apart from one vital thing: Nayeon hated being scared. 

“What’s fun about being terrified? Absolutely nothing.” Nayeon explained to Jeongyeon who was trying to convince her to come to a Halloween party next weekend. The two girls sat opposite each other in a cafe on their university’s campus. Nayeon’s arms were crossed as she leant back on her chair, adamant that she wouldn’t change her mind about this. It would take a literal miracle for her to like Halloween.

“You’re such a scaredy cat.” Jeongyeon rolled her eyes at her best friend.

“Yeah, I know I am so why would I want to walk around outside on Halloween inviting people wearing Scream masks to come terrify me?” Just the thought of it sent shivers down her spine. She brought the coffee cup to her lips and took a sip to calm herself.

“You make it sound like the purge or something.” Jeongyeon explained in between bites of her lunch.

“It might as well be. I feel like I’m going to die from fright.” Nayeon’s eyes went big. It’s a miracle that Nayeon wasn’t mute from the amount of times she’d screamed at someone (mostly Jeongyeon) trying to scare her on Halloween.

“Samhainophobia.” 

Jeongyeon had said the same word one night in Nayeon’s dorm last year. The two were with Momo and Jihyo. They were sat on the floor joking about how they should play with a ouija board on Halloween night in a few days time. Completely freaked out by the suggestion, Nayeon almost kicked the trio out of her dorm as “don’t fucking summon spirits in my room you idiots, especially not on Halloween”. The word Samhainophobia had run off Jeongyeon’s tongue and only added to the gloomy ambience of the cold October evening as she explained how Nayeon suffered from the fear of Halloween. 

Nayeon didn’t like the way Jeongyeon enunciated each syllable last year and she definitely didn’t appreciate how the word conjured up those old feelings once more as Jeongyeon spoke it into existence again over lunch. It sent chills down her spine like the word was heavy breathing down her neck. She itched the feeling away.

Jeongyeon’s bottom lip pouted out as she gave Nayeon a pleading look. “Please will you just come to this party with me?” 

“Ya stop that!” Nayeon said, smacking Jeongyeon on the arm. “I’m not coming to this party with you. Over my dead body, Yoo Jeongyeon.”

* * *

They heard the muffled noises from the other side of the door as Jeongyeon knocked loudly against it on Halloween night. She was occupied by a reluctant Nayeon, pulling uncomfortably at the bottom of her leather dress. 

Jeongyeon had successfully managed to drag Nayeon to the Halloween party. Nayeon cursed herself for agreeing to this. In her defense, she was promised all the help she wanted with her law papers to be here right now dressed as catwoman. It was a pretty appealing offer and with the added bonus of “I’ll buy you shots for the next three times we go out,'' she found it hard to resist. 

Jeongyeon had made a lame joke about how everyone was dead on Halloween so taking Nayeon to this party over her dead body was very easy. At this, Nayeon mentally reminded herself to find the nearest drink when they finally got into this party.

Although no amount of alcohol could make Nayeon any less terrified; perhaps it even heightened her fears if that was even possible. 

As soon as they were welcomed in, Jeongyeon ran off to find the people she’d come to the party to see, muttering that she didn’t come here to babysit Nayeon. But the foolish way she was acting in front of the two pretty girls she was trying to impress, Sana and Mina, Nayeon wondered who the kid really was.

As she spent longer and longer at this party, she realised there was no place to hide from the college students clad in masks and costumes, and covered in fake blood. She knew the majority of people here, but it didn’t bring her any comfort and didn’t make their costumes any less scary. She felt like she was spending the majority of the night on edge as people walked past her on the way to the kitchen or tried to talk to her, but she heard none of their words, her eyes glued to the fake cuts and gashes on their faces. They looked so real. 

Tired of seeing Nayeon cower in the corner of the living room, Jeongyeon and Jihyo, dragged her off the couch to socialise with people; after all, they were at a party. 

They decided beer pong would be a nice distraction, make her concentrate on something else and hopefully loosen up a little. The three of them made an odd number and needed one more person to play. Jeongyeon scoured the groups of people dotted around the house for a willing volunteer. She stumbled across a small group of her friends: Chaeyoung, Momo and Tzuyu. Jeongyeon decided to ask Chaeyoung to play beer pong with them as Momo was wrapped in layers of toilet roll and her arms wrapped around her girlfriend Tzuyu’s waist. Tzuyu looked much too preoccupied, in Jeongyeon’s opinion, with a drunken Momo to want to join. 

Jeongyeon dragged Chaeyoung over to Nayeon’s team. Nayeon didn’t know the girl, but she introduced herself with more enthusiasm than she had to anyone else tonight as Chaeyoung’s costume wasn’t scary. She was dressed as the Joker: a long leather jacket, white face paint with black tattoos written across her face and neck, and her spray dyed green hair pulled into a ponytail. Nayeon guessed the scariest thing about Chaeyoung’s costume was the thought of washing that green dye out of her hair in the morning. 

“Nice outfit,” Chaeyoung said after Nayeon complimented her own. “Catwoman, right?”

With a smug smile, Nayeon threw her hands out to the side and gave Chaeyoung a little twirl. “Yeah, but if you make a pussy joke like half of the men in this room already have done tonight, we’re changing teams.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Chaeyoung mused and picked up the first ping pong ball, offering it to Nayeon. 

Nayeon learnt that Chaeyoung’s costume was just a costume and Chaeyoung was far, far from the psychotic clown she was imitating. A cute expression of concentration covered her face as she threw the balls again and again at the cups lined up on the other end of the table, but to no success. It made her forehead tattoo lose clarity when she furrowed her brow and her smudged red-stained lips pout endearingly. How could Nayeon ever get mad at Chaeyoung as the ball bounced too short and Jeongyeon and Jihyo ripped into laughter?

Nayeon on the other hand, was a good shot and single-handedly made Jeongyeon and Jihyo drink several beers her ball popped into with a small splash. Chaeyoung cheered and high-fived Nayeon whenever Jeongyeon and Jihyo had to down yet another cup of beer. 

However, Nayeon and Chaeyoung still lost. 

It came as no surprise to Nayeon that Jihyo’s team won. Her competitiveness was unrivalled by anyone else Nayeon had ever met. Jihyo had drunk more than everyone at the table and had her eyes on the girl dressed as Anabelle for the majority of the game (Nayeon had her eyes on the girl too, but only so she could make a quick get away if she got any closer), but somehow her and Jeongyeon won. Jihyo’s competitiveness and Jeongyeon’s inclination to cheat whenever they played any games made them a formidable duo.

Nayeon and Chaeyoung apologised to each other in light of their defeat. They now had no reason to be pushed together anymore, but Nayeon found herself continuing to chat to Chaeyoung as the night went on. She was a piece of solace from the sheer panic of the evening. 

The two soon found themselves escaping the party together less than an hour later. Nayeon’s friends were too busy flirting with girls to notice her departure or tease her about whom she was leaving with. As they left the party, Nayeon swiped an unopened bottle of wine from the counter and Chaeyoung praised her for the move being “very catwoman”. 

They found a spot on the grass field in the middle of the quad on campus and set about passing the bottle to each other, drawing long sips from it as they talked and watched the night sky. 

They spoke about their degrees and life in and outside of university. Chaeyoung would laugh loudly into the night whenever Nayeon flinched at some guy drunkenly running past them wearing a clown mask or witch’s cackle was heard in the dark. Chaeyoung reached to hold Nayeon’s right hand whenever she got scared as a source of comfort. She’d quickly let go when Nayeon eased up but as students in costumes continued to scare Nayeon, her hand lingered for longer and longer. Her hand didn’t let go for the rest of the evening until the pair were kicked off the grass by campus security at 7am.

* * *

“Chaeyoung, you can’t go trick or treating.”

Chaeyoung pulled the white sheet off her head, her hair sticking up in random directions as she looked at Nayeon in outrage. “Why not?”

“Because you’re 20. You’re an adult.” Nayeon was sat on the bed hearing her girlfriend’s plans for the evening.

“And? Loads of adults dress up for Halloween.” The white sheet fell to the floor, forgotten as Chaeyoung concentrated on the argument. 

“Yeah, but they don’t go trick or treating. That’s for kids.” Nayeon argued, but the way Chaeyoung was pouting at her made her feel like maybe she’d fit in perfectly with the hordes of kids knocking on strangers doors.

Hopping off their bed, Nayeon walked up to her girlfriend. Nayeon reached out and gripped the sides of the big, front pocket of Chaeyoung’s oversized hoodie. The hoodie used to be Nayeon’s but she gave it to the smaller girl just before the pair started dating almost a year ago. She pulled Chaeyoung closer to her.

“Baby, if you’re low on cash and want some candy, I’ll buy you some. You just have to ask.” Nayeon’s smile was more tooth-rotting than the candy in question, but Chaeyoung saw past her act.

“Not all of us have graduated and have a steady job.” Chaeyoung said, wrapping her hands around Nayeon’s waist.

“We can’t all be this perfect.” Nayeon smirked.

“I know.” Anyone else would roll their eyes at Nayeon’s abundance of self-esteem, but Chaeyoung couldn’t help always agreeing with her girlfriend. Chaeyoung stood on her tip-toes to kiss Nayeon, confirming that she really did think she was perfect; apart from the whole hating Halloween thing. 

Nayeon smiled into the kiss, but when Chaeyoung went to deepen it, she moved away and fell back into the mattress with a giggle. 

“Don’t expect me to come with you or hold your hand. I’m not pretending to be your mum whilst you steal candy off unsuspecting senior citizens.” Nayeon crossed her legs as she got comfortable. “You know how I feel about Halloween.”

Chaeyoung definitely did. 

An evening last year, Chaeyoung had brought up Nayeon’s irrational fear of Halloween as they were tangled and pushed up against each other in Nayeon’s small, creaking bed in her old dorm. She was reminiscing about the night they had met (at the time, only a few months before) as she absentmindedly twirled the ends of Nayeon’s hair in between her fingers. As if it was her professional curiosity, Chaeyoung questioned whether there was a specific event that caused Nayeon’s phobia. A trip to the circus; an exposure to a particularly gruesome horror film before she was of the rating’s age; a scary story she’d heard at camp when she was younger. Nayeon had said “nope” to all her suggestions. Chaeyoung’s urge to get to the bottom of Nayeon’s fear was thrown out the window when Nayeon murmured into her ear that she wanted to change the subject and pulled her flush against her, kissing her hard. 

“I don’t need you to come with me. I’m going with Jihyo.” Chaeyoung replied smugly as she looked at herself in the mirror and pressed the white sheet against her body, wondering if the sheet would drag on the floor and dirty itself when she walked from door to door.

“You’re going with Jihyo?” A tone of disbelief. Jihyo had her moments, but Nayeon called Jihyo one of her most responsible friends. A friend that would look after her if the night got a little too crazy so Nayeon was surprised that Jihyo would encourage Chaeyoung’s childish ideas like this. 

“Yeah, we’re both dressing up as ghosts.” Chaeyoung emphasised her point by dramatically throwing the sheet over her head again. She waved her arms around, trying her hardest to imitate a stereotypical ghost. The sheet obstructed Nayeon’s sight to Chaeyoung’s smile, but she could tell it was there. Luckily the sheet also obstructed Chaeyoung’s view to the enormous smile plastered on Nayeon face. She couldn’t have Chaeyoung see her grinning like an idiot at her crazy idea. She feared it would only encourage more of them, not that Nayeon wouldn’t follow Chaeyoung to the ends of the earth in pursuit of them.

Chaeyoung’s antics died down and Nayeon thought for a moment, “Wait, are you going with Jihyo because you two are the height of children?”

“That is heightist and I won’t have it...” Chaeyoung declared, scrambling to pull the sheet off her head again so she could throw Nayeon an angry look. Nayeon looked less than impressed and Chaeyoung’s expression quickly softened, “.. but, yeah we are.”

“Chaeyoung!” Nayeon laughed out. She couldn’t believe her girlfriend.

“It’s kinda genius, right?” Chaeyoung was seeking validation, and Nayeon tried to control her laughter in order to give it to her.

“It is,” Nayeon replied. “Thank god you don’t look scary.”

“What do you mean? I can be scary.” Chaeyoung huffed. Nayeon started to laugh at the comment. Chaeyoung was as scary as a puppy barking at an intruder, but that laugh was soon caught in her throat when the lights flicked off. She didn’t have time to call out her girlfriend’s name before Chaeyoung started running at her from across the room, out from the dark. 

“Ahh, Chaeyoungie! STOP IT!” A high-pitched shriek ripped out of Nayeon. Her closed fists darted up to her scrunched up face as Chaeyoung came closer. When Chaeyoung reached the bed, she tackled her girlfriend onto the bed. Screams melded into giggles as Nayeon’s back hit the mattress and she felt Chaeyoung tickle her sides.

“Stop it!” She repeated the phrase but this time her voice hiccuped with laughter. Chaeyoung stopped tickling Nayeon and her touch became firm on her sides, subduing Nayeon’s panic from the scare. Reaching for the bottom of the sheet, Nayeon scrambled to pull it from in between their pressed bodies and over Chaeyoung’s head. She succeeded and was met with Chaeyoung’s face smiling down at her, hair ruffled. 

“You’re such an idiot.” Nayeon laughed. Her heart was still pounding in her chest.

“You love it.” Chaeyoung said and Nayeon silently replied by scrunched her nose up sweetly. Feeling triumphant, Chaeyoung leant down and kissed Nayeon. Before Nayeon could throw her arms around Chaeyoung’s neck and totally melt into the feeling of Chaeyoung’s weigh on top of her, Chaeyoung pulled herself off her.

“Now, can you help me cut eye holes in this sheet?”

* * *

Nayeon had dipped a toe into the bath she had been running when her phone resting on her towel started buzzing. She groaned in frustration. All her friends were busy tonight: Jeongyeon had managed to drag Sana and Mina to a haunted house; Tzuyu had a paper to write and Momo planned to keep her company whilst eating all the candy she had originally bought for trick or treater; Dahyun was planning to watch scary movies whilst her and Nayeon’s girlfriends ran around town begging strangers for candy. 

Nayeon had a night of relaxation planned for herself, but she set that aside when she reluctantly pulled her foot out of the bath and tugged on her robe. Reaching for her phone, she checked the caller ID. It was Dahyun.

“Hey Dahyun, what’s up?” Nayeon said after she scooped up her phone and hit the green button. “Enjoying your Halloween?”

“I was until Jihyo and Chaeyoung came back home. I was only halfway through _ Train to Busan _.” Dahyun sighed down the phone.

Nayeon pulled her phone away from her ear to check the time. “Isn’t it a little early for them to be back yet? I thought they’d be out longer or can’t they keep up with the kids anymore?”

“Yeah I thought so too, but Chaeyoung’s sick.”

Nayeon’s throat went dry. 

“What do you mean Chaeyoung’s sick? What happened? Is she okay?”

The thought of Chaeyoung being in trouble or ill in any way was a fear worse than her fear of Halloween. It made her stomach drop and a cold sweat run across her body like she’d dunked herself in the steaming bath she’d just run herself. Panic wrote itself across her face and she scratched at her right hand as she waited for Dahyun to explain. 

“She ate too much candy.” Sedated laughter peppered Dahyun’s speech. It sounded like she was trying to contain her amusement.

Nayeon's whirling thoughts of Chaeyoung being murdered by the actual Michael Myers died down as she processed the words. 

“She ate too much candy?” Nayeon repeated slowly. 

“Yeah, Jihyo brought her back here and she’s lying on the floor clutching her stomach.” Nayeon heart winced as her thoughts painted that picture. 

“She’s asking for you.” Dahyun finished, and Nayeon felt the pressure around her heart grow tighter. 

“I’ll be right over.”

* * *

Occasionally when Nayeon lay awake in their bed with Chaeyoung cuddled up against her, she thought about the idea of having children with Chaeyoung one day. Cute children that would run around, full of the love that Nayeon felt for Chaeyoung in those moments as she watched her girlfriend contently sleeping. 

She loved kids and couldn’t wait to have some of her own, but as she drove the 10 minutes to Jihyo and Dahyun’s apartment, she hadn’t been more put off having them. 

As soon as she pulled her car out of her apartment complex’s garage and into the streets, the roads were swarming with children trick or treating. 

Some of them looked adorable. She gushed as she looked out the window at a little girl wearing a witch’s hat, holding a small cauldron full of sweets in one hand and her mother’s hand in the other as they walked down the street. 

Other kids’ costumes caused goosebumps to prick up all over her body. She recognised costumes from horror films she’d walked into Chaeyoung and Dahyun watching in their dorm last year when she used to come over after a long day at work. Texas Chainsaw Massacre, IT, Jeepers Creepers. Dahyun always invited her to stay, but Nayeon made a quick exit, telling Chaeyoung to call her later. Seeing kids imitate those characters was like her nightmares had come to life. 

Nayeon’s right hand gripped tighter on the steering wheel, trying to find the same source of comfort that she had felt last Halloween with Chaeyoung’s hand in her’s. But Chaeyoung wasn’t here and neither was her touch. 

When Nayeon safely parked her car, she made her way up to Jihyo and Dahyun’s floor in their apartment complex. She mentally congratulated herself for surviving the chaos of the streets.

“Hey.” Nayeon heard the relief in Dahyun’s tone when she finally opened the door. The relief didn’t ring good news for Nayeon, worrying about the state Chaeyoung was in. Nayeon brushed past Dahyun on her search for her girlfriend.

She didn’t have to look far and Dahyun’s assessment of Chaeyoung’s condition on the phone was pretty accurate. Lying against the rug on the living room floor, Chaeyoung was in the fetal position. Every part of her body looked clenched in pain. She looked so tiny, even smaller and younger than the persona she was trying to pull off that had got her into this mess. 

Jihyo was sat on the couch by her and Nayeon walked up to Chaeyoung’s side and instantly dropped to her knees. 

“Hey baby.” Nayeon said softly and she planted a small smile onto her face, hoping it would settle Chaeyoung’s concern. She was finally here. A hand reached out from its grip on her stomach and was placed on Nayeon’s arm.

“Nayeonnie.” Chaeyoung wanted to express the comfort she felt by Nayeon’s presence, but her voice came out through gritted teeth due to the convulsing pain in her stomach. Another groan from Chaeyoung and she let go of Nayeon’s arm and gripped her stomach once more. 

Beads of sweat decorated her hairline and Nayeon reached out to wipe them off. She then settled for running her hand through Chaeyoung’s short black hair. 

“I feel... so sick.” Chaeyoung’s words were disjointed. Her eyes were screwed shut. “It hurts. So bad.”

“I know, baby, I know.” Nayeon cooed and leant forward to press a light kiss to Chaeyoung’s cheek. She leant back and the mark of her lip gloss on Chaeyoung’s cheek was the only change in her condition. So much for the magical qualities of true love’s kiss.

“You shouldn’t have eaten all that candy.” Chaeyoung let out another groan and Nayeon couldn’t tell whether it was in pain or to Nayeon’s words, she didn’t need to be reminded of her mistakes. She was already kicking herself for it and so was her stomach as it pushed and pulled in her body. What Chaeyoung needed right now was this pain to go away, but all rational thought left her and she burned for the comfort of Nayeon’s touch, hoping it would subside the cramping. 

As if reading Chaeyoung’s mind, Nayeon moved her hand to rub along her side in repetitive motions. She hoped it would soothe Chaeyoung the way Chaeyoung’s touch did for her. 

“I told her not to.” Jihyo piped up from her position on the couch. 

“How did you let this happen?” Chaeyoung was a grown woman who made her own decisions, but Nayeon couldn’t help but hear the accusation in her own voice as she questioned Jihyo.

“She started eating the candy before it had even hit the bottom of her bag. I told her to slow down and pace herself, maybe save some for you, but she carried on eating it.” Chaeyoung wasn’t a selfish person, but Nayeon knew her well. She knew that she would be so smug with the fact she had gotten away with receiving candy that she’d eat her prize straight away. She couldn’t help herself.

Jihyo continued. “We went on for another hour and that’s when Chaeyoung started to feel sick. The old lady who had just given us candy was less than happy when Chaeyoung threw up on her rose bush. And even less happy when she found out we weren’t the kids she thought we were.” 

At any other time, her and Jihyo would laugh and tease Chayeoung about the old lady’s reaction, but Chaeyoung sharply winced and Nayeon returned her attention back to her girlfriend in need. 

“You two are the worst double act ever.” Nayeon directed at Jihyo, but her eyes became wide in concern as Chaeyoung pushed her knees impossibly closer into her bloated stomach, hoping the pressure would help. She couldn’t watch her suffer anymore. She had to bring more comfort to her.

“Come on Chaeyoungie, let’s get you home.”

Home mostly included the sound of Chaeyoung’s puke hitting the toilet bowl as Nayeon tucked her hair behind her ears and rubbed her back. She hated seeing Chaeyoung like this.

Having emptied all the candy that had invaded her stomach, Chaeyoung developed some of the strength to walk with Nayeon’s arm wrapped around her waist. They walked to their bed and Nayeon tugged the covers around Chaeyoung’s small frame. Despite the warmth, her body started to shiver uncontrollably like an addict suffering from withdrawals. 

“I’ll go get some more blankets from the couch.” Nayeon whispered, pressing a forehead kiss against Chaeyoung’s sweat ridden skin as she got up to leave.

“Naaa,” Chaeyoung started, but couldn’t even finish her girlfriend’s name. The pain was muted but it still kicked around in her empty stomach. Now it was more the tiredness that consumed her. Her hand reached out from the confines of the covers, searching for her girlfriend again. 

Changing her plans, Nayeon stripped off her jeans and hoodie and slid under the covers. She pressed her body against Chaeyoung. They were like two puzzle pieces fitting perfectly. The room was almost completely dark, but Nayeon could feel the ease that came to Chaeyoung’s shoulders as they slotted together. Nayeon’s body heat and presence was better than any number of blankets that could be thrown over Chaeyoung’s feverish body. 

“I love you.” Was muttered into Chaeyoung’s shoulder along with a small kiss as they fell asleep.

* * *

The plan was to have a housewarming party. 

Nayeon and Chaeyoung had just moved in with each other after Chaeyoung had graduated university. Nayeon was so proud of her and couldn’t wait for them to move in together. She had been uncharacteristically careful with her money as Chaeyoung’s degree came to a close and Chaeyoung worked as many shifts that were manageable at the campus cafe, hoping to save up at least a small amount that they could put towards renting a new place together. 

They had announced on the group chat that they would be having a housewarming party in the next few weeks. Expecting an abundance of “I’ll be there” and “can’t wait to trash your new place”, Nayeon was confused when Tzuyu reminded them that it was Halloween that weekend. Nayeon cursed that fucking date coming around so quickly (“why did it have to be an anual thing?”) and before she knew it her plans were being hijacked and twisted into a freakish hybrid housewarming-Halloween party. She couldn’t even argue as the majority vote ruled it a good idea. Nayeon reminded them that the new place was half her’s and surely she should have more of a say in the matter, but having been ignored and teased by her friends for her irrational fear, she settled for furiously texting “y’all better not throw up on my new carpets.”

“Chaeyoung-ah, do we still have to host this party?” A few days until the party was supposed to happen and Nayeon was still trying to cancel it.

“You’re the one who wanted a housewarming party.” Chaeyoung voice called through the phone. Nayeon could hear the distant mixture of voices in the background as Chaeyoung walked through the shopping mall. 

“Yeah, but not like this!” Nayeon almost whined down the phone, the line of ink growing thicker as she pushed more pressure on the paper she was absentmindedly doodling on. “I wanted to show you and the new place off. I wanted to celebrate us moving in together, not discuss the fancy bath taps in the en-suite to Momo and Jihyo whilst they’re dressed as skeletons.”

“You can still do that.” Chaeyoung laughed out and despite being miles away from Nayeon who was sat at her desk at work, she could tell she had a pout smacked on her lips.

“Come on, it’ll be fun.” Chaeyoung reassured and a “hmph” sounded down the phone in return.

“We can dress up!” Chaeyoung tried one more time.

Nayeon leant forward in her chair and rested her chin in her hand on the desk. “I can dress up for you any other time Chaengie, Halloween’s never stopped us before.”

Chaeyoung heard the change in Nayeon’s tone. It became sultry and it felt like she could hear Nayeon’s breath teasingly close to her ear. Swivelling back and forth on her chair, Nayeon waited for an answer and was met with her girlfriend’s embarrassed cough as she recalled all those times Nayeon had dressed up (or down) just for her. It was music to Nayeon’s ears.

“Nayeon...” 

“Yeah?” 

“We’re not going to that kind of shop... We’re going to the Halloween store.” Nayeon heard a familiar laugh that didn’t belong to Chaeyoung come from the phone. Chaeyoung was too flustered to laugh in anything other than embarrassment.

“You’re no fun.” Nayeon teased.

“Yeah, I am.” Chaeyoung sounded offended and then perked up, trying to prove herself, “I’m so much fun that I’m buying us couples costumes.”

Nayeon’s eyes light up at the thought of matching with Chaeyoung. “Okay, that does sound pretty good, but I still hate Halloween.”

“Yeah yeah I know. But I’m about to go pick the costumes up with Jeongyeon.” That was Jeongyeon laughing in the background. Of course it was. That laugh had become part of the soundtrack of Nayeon’s life ever since they were in high school together. 

“Don’t let her pick shitty costumes for us.” Nayeon called out scrunching her nose up at Jeongyeon’s taste. She heard Jeongyeon call out a loud “hey” from over Chaeyoung’s shoulder. 

“I won’t- ow!” Chaeyoung’s words were cut short by an exclamation that Nayeon could only conclude to be from Jeongyeon smacking her for agreeing with Nayeon. Chaeyoung moved the phone away from her ear, distracted by Jeongyeon, but Nayeon still heard the small thud of Chaeyoung’s fist hitting Jeongyeon upper arm and the threats thrown between the two, although a little muffled. She laughed at the pair.

“I’ll see you later, baby.” Chaeyoung laughed out, her voice coming closer to the phone this time. 

“Okay.” A twinge of sadness existed in Nayeon’s goodbye. Upset that Chaeyoung had to go, leaving her to get back to her job, and upset that she hadn’t managed to persuade her to cancel the party.

* * *

Nayeon walked through the house, dodging the spooky decorations that hung from the ceiling on her way to answer the door for what felt like the 100th time this evening and not all of their party guests had arrived yet. Word had got out that they were having a party and old classmates from university and both her and Chaeyoung’s new colleagues gathered at their new house dressed in face paint and fake blood, making Nayeon jump whenever she answered the door. She lost any hope that the housewarming part of the party would be salvaged. 

Luckily the person at the door was a familiar face: Jihyo, complete with pointy witch hat. Amongst Nayeon’s protests against the Halloween party, Chaeyoung emphasised to their close friends that their costumes had to be not so scary that they would frighten Nayeon. Jihyo’s witch costume fit the prompt, looking more cartoon witch than Helena Markos, and Nayeon was thankful once more for her girlfriend. Chaeyoung couldn’t prevent the party, taken out of their hands by the likes of Jeongyeon and Tzuyu, but she could make it more bearable.

Nayeon welcomed Jihyo in with a hug. “Where’s Dahyun?”

“She’s still in the recording studio with Jeongyeon. She said they’d be here later.” Jihyo replied, holding on to her hat with one hand as Nayeon swept her into a hug.

“A lonesome witch.” Nayeon stated, a tone of sympathy was there as she pulled away from Jihyo.

“You’re a witch too.” Jihyo pointed out. Nayeon slowly shook her head at her.

“I’m not just any witch, Jihyo. I’m Morticia Addams.” Instantly, Nayeon’s mannerisms became more fluid as she dramatically presented her right hand up, fingers splayed, and placed her left hand on her hip, showcasing her costume. The low cut black dress pooled around her feet, making her appear like she was gliding around the room whenever she walked. She wore dark eyeshadow and a red lip as well as a distant yet commanding gaze on her face.

Jihyo simply rolled her eyes at Nayeon’s dramatics. “I’m guessing there’s a Gomez to your Morticia inside?”

Nayeon broke character and a smile spread across her face at the thought of her Gomez. 

“Yep, but you might miss her, she’s quite small.” Nayeon teased. Jihyo nodded at her and walked inside the house.

“Go find your coven.” Nayeon said wistfully, lightly pushing Jihyo on the back into her house. 

“I’d rather go find the booze.”

Jihyo found both. The alcohol very easily, and her coven slowly when her and Nayeon’s friends started to drip into the party; although they didn’t come in the classic form of witches. Instead, Hercules poured liquor into four shot glasses and handed them out to her Meg and the two witches.

“Happy housewarming Nayeonnie!” Momo cheered before her, Tzuyu, Jihyo and Nayeon clinked their shot glasses together and swallowed the drink she had given them. 

Ever since their first college party, Momo had developed a reputation for being the lightweight in their friendship group and she still held that title now when she started rooting through the kitchen cupboards after a few more shots. After enough rummaging around, Momo soon found several jars and lined them up as if she was about to perform a mind-bending magic trick. Abs flexed in the gap between the Momo’s matching brown crop top and skirt as she started to open the jars. She threw smug looks at Tzuyu as she opened each one like she was performing some herculean feat, but her girlfriend only looked away with her arms crossed. Tzuyu grew more and more unimpressed as more jars were successfully opened; even more so when Momo presented them to her like the contents were gifts worthy of a woman such as Meg. 

“I told you that you’d enjoy yourself.” Nayeon was too busy laughing at her friends’ antics to notice Chaeyoung walk into the kitchen. She turned toward her girlfriend walking closer to her and smiled.

Chaeyoung always had an incredible way of embodying the characters she dressed up as for Halloween. She completely slipped into the role, and the only thing that let her down was when she opened her mouth and people were met with her sunny disposition and those dimples that Nayeon loved so much. 

And she didn’t disappoint with this outfit. Gomez Addams was typically a six foot man, but that didn’t stop Chaeyoung from embracing all that height and presence, compacting it down in her small form. It practically oozed out of her slightly oversized pinstripe suit, complete with blue bowtie. She had slicked down her short black hair and Nayeon’s eyes were drawn to the thin pencil moustache she had carefully drawn above her upper lip. Maybe the moustache would add to the intimidating look for their guests here tonight, but Nayeon couldn’t help chuckling at it. Nayeon had offered to help her draw it on, but Chaeyoung being the artist that she was, was determined to get it right. Nayeon wasn’t aware so much precision was involved in drawing two straight lines on a face. 

“I’m not enjoying myself at all, it’s Halloween.” Shaking her head and coughing back her laugh. Chaeyoung frowned at this, making the straight lines of her moustache become wobbly as her mouth scrunched up. 

“You look really dapper though,” Nayeon reached out to straighten Chaeyoung’s bowtie, “And the house looks amazing. Very spooky.”

Nayeon shouldn’t have been surprised about how well Chaeyoung had decorated their house. After all, Chaeyoung loved to paint whenever she had free time and Nayeon guessed that talent was synonymous with decorating. 

Yet she was still surprised. Chaeyoung had asked her to run to the store to get alcohol and snacks for this evening and when she arrived back an hour later, she almost dropped the bottles of liquor in her grasp at the sight. Cobwebs and spiders hung from the ceiling and were wrapped around the bannister of the stairs. If the house looked like this before they moved in, Nayeon would have instantly removed their deposit and first few months of rent, completely terrified that the place was haunted. 

“Thank you.” Chaeyoung smiled, dimples on full display. “You look gorgeous, baby.”

Nayeon felt Chaeyoung’s hands run down the curves of her sides. And then up again as Chaeyoung kissed Nayeon’s red lips. Cobwebs hung above the pair as they kissed like some spooky mistletoe.

“Well, you picked the costume.” Nayeon said as they broke apart.

“Yeah and we look perfect together.” Nayeon nodded in agreement but thought they looked that way every other day of the year without wearing matching costumes. The thought weighed in her eyes as she met Chaeyoung’s gaze and the squeeze of her waist confirmed Chaeyoung had the same thought running through her mind. 

Chaeyoung opened her mouth to say something else but her eyes darted past Nayeon and her smile faltered slightly. “Hang on.” 

Nayeon’s gaze followed Chaeyoung as she let go of her waist and started walking over to their friends, Sana and Mina, who has just arrived at the party. 

“What are you wearing?” Chaeyoung said when she reached them. No welcoming hello or anything. Her tone almost sounding like a father disapproving of what his teenage daughters had chosen to wear for the evening. In her suit, Chaeyoung did look the part. 

“We’re an angel and a devil.” Sana said brightly. She gestured to her costume for the first half of the sentence - a white dress flowed down to her thighs and large white and fluffy wings stretched off her back - and then to Mina’s for the latter - clad in a deep red dress, dark makeup and a pair of devil horns.

Chaeyoung frowned in confusion as she looked between the two, “But what about Jeongyeon? I went shopping with her and she got matching outfits for you three.”

A look was exchanged between Sana and Mina.

“We told her that we didn’t want to dress as that...so we changed.” Mina explained, cringing at their girlfriend’s costume suggestion.

“And Jeongyeon agreed to change too?” Chaeyoung questioned. Doubt was in her voice as she remembered the enthusiasm Jeongyeon exuded when they went costume shopping together the other day.

Sana nodded furiously, “Yeah, we definitely mentioned it to her-”

“Are you serious?!” The three of them turned their heads towards the loud voice and was met with an overwhelming amount of yellow. Jeongyeon was stood there wearing a boxy, yellow tube and a pointy yellow hat on her head. The unflattering tube had bold letters across the middle of it: mustard. 

She heard the laughter from other guests she didn’t know, but Jeongyeon’s concentration was fixed on her girlfriends before her who were not wearing the costumes she thought the three of them agreed to wear. 

“What the fuck guys?!” Jeongyeon called out again as she walked closer to them. 

“Jeongie! You look so good!” Sana exclaimed, throwing her hands up. She was attempting to deflect the situation, but was met with Jeongyeon crossing her arms in the face of her Halloween plans going awry. 

“No Sana, I look like an idiot. Why didn’t you wear your costumes?” She looked between Sana and Mina, feeling defeated.

“Honey, we thought you were joking.” Sana practically skipped over to Jeongyeon and wrapped her arms around her neck comfortingly, but it didn’t change her pout.

“Well I obviously wasn’t, was I?” She tried to get out of Sana’s grasp, but felt less of an urge when Sana placed a sweet kiss on her cheek. Mina followed suit and sauntered over to Jeongyeon, placing her hands on her girlfriend’s hips and hugged her from the other side so Jeongyeon was in the middle. 

“We texted the group chat this morning about changing costumes, we thought you got it.” Mina explained.

“I was in the studio all day..” Jeongyeon said sadly, looked at the floor. 

Noting the tone, Sana peppered kisses on Jeongyeon’s neck and cheek in between saying, “I’m sorry Jeongie, we really did think you’d change.”

“We’ll make it up to you later...” Mina said and then lowered her voice, whispering the rest of her sentence into Jeongyeon’s ear - just enough that Sana who clung to Jeongyeon’s other side could hear but not loud enough for any other guests at the party. Jeongyeon’s face turned bright red at Mina’s promises, Jeongyeon alone recreating the matching costumes she wanted with her ketchup red face and mustard clothes. 

Sensing that the trio might be planning on leaving the party sooner than expected, Chaeyoung tried to steer their thoughts somewhere else. “I thought you were coming with Dahyun?” 

Jeongyeon tore her attention away from her girlfriends. “Oh, she’ll be here.” 

Chaeyoung wanted to question the ominous tone and mischievous grin that crept over Jeongyeon’s lips, but before she could make an attempt, blood-curdling screams cut through the atmosphere of the party. She whipped her head towards the noise and saw Nayeon, Momo and Jihyo all screaming their lungs out as they darted off in different directions away from the person who had just arrived. 

The person was Dahyun who was dressed as a cockroach, almost washed out under the weight of the large brown costume. She had run through the front door when Jihyo opened it, planning on terrifying her friends. 

And she definitely succeeded. The highest pitched scream squeezed out of Momo who immediately ran to hide behind Tzuyu. Her blue cape flew behind her as she sprinted off in search of protection. 

Next Jihyo’s face contorted into an exaggerated mixture of disgust and fear as she jumped away from her girlfriend. Usually, Dahyun would be offended that her girlfriend wanted to get away from her so quickly, but this time it brought her immense joy. 

But Chaeyoung’s attention was taken by her own girlfriend who ran the furthest away from Dahyun, her hands covering her ears in fright. She made a bee-line straight for Chaeyoung and buried herself into her neck when she reached her, almost knocking the wind out of the girl. 

Chaeyoung had tried to make the party as enjoyable for Nayeon as possible but she hadn’t accounted for Dahyun’s surprise costume. She could never plan for Dahyun’s unpredictability. 

Amongst fits of laughter, Chaeyoung tried to calm her girlfriend down. A soothing hand running through Nayeon’s dark brown hair and the other rubbing circles on her back. 

“It’s just Dahyun.” Chaeyoung reassured Nayeon. Thanks to Chaeyoung’s touch, Nayeon felt her heartbeat start to slow from its racing pace and turned her head away from Chaeyoung’s neck and towards Dahyun. 

“Babe, come give me a kiss.” Dahyun teased with a bright smile on her face as she scuttled towards Jihyo, the many legs and antennae of her cockroach costume bouncing around with her movements. 

“Don’t fucking call me babe whilst you’re dressed like that.” Jihyo warned, backing away from Dahyun who was drawing too much joy from her misery. 

Happy that she wasn’t Dahyun’s main target, Nayeon eased up and laughed a little at the scene. She pulled away from the comfort of Chaeyoung, but her right hand soon found its way to Chaeyoung’s left, fingers interlocking. They barely parted for the rest of the night as the pair enjoyed the evening with their friends. Nayeon became more and more comfortable with Dahyun’s choice of costume after a while, and soon the group teased her and Jeongyeon for looking stupid. 

“You know it’s our two year anniversary today.” Chaeyoung partly slurred as she looked back at Nayeon as they sat next to each other on their couch, taking a break from the chaos of their friends and the party. Her left hand was still grasping Nayeon’s right. 

Nayeon furrowed her brow in confusion. “What are you talking about? Our anniversary is in December.”

Nayeon distinctly remembered that December afternoon in her old dorm. The way Chaeyoung felt in her arms as they hugged for what felt like hours. Chaeyoung was just about to leave to go home for winter break, but couldn’t bring herself to physically leave Nayeon’s side. Clinging hold of each other, they tried to commit every part of the way they felt in each other’s arms to memory, having to hold on to that feeling instead of the other during their month apart. Nayeon couldn’t bare the thought of the time away so blurted out “do you want to be my girlfriend?” just as Chaeyoung had finally untangled herself and was walking towards the door. This resulted in an obvious “yes” and another half an hour of painful goodbyes. 

This wasn’t a memory Nayeon was likely to forget so she was confused by Chaeyoung’s current statement. 

“Well, today’s the second anniversary of the day we met. This is the third Halloween we’ve spent together.” Chaeyoung said proudly, sitting up on the couch to face Nayeon. Bringing her left hand to cover her hand joined with Chaeyoung, Nayeon sat up and mirrored Chaeyoung’s position.

“I wouldn’t exactly call last Halloween when I washed chunks of vomit out of your hair _ us _ spending time together.” Nayeon laughed, but Chaeyoung’s head dipped a little and she pursed her lips together in fake annoyance. 

“You know what I mean.” 

“Yeah, I do.” Nayeon recovered, tracing patterns on the back of Chaeyoung’s hand. Chaeyoung watched her hand movements felt the meaning behind it. She looked up at Nayeon, her eyes becoming soft and sparkling in the lighting. 

“I know you hate Halloween, but I hope we have so many more together.” Chaeyoung whispered out and Nayeon felt her heart race at the words. A racing that was way more exciting than the way Nayeon’s heart raced whenever it was Halloween. Instead, she welcomed this version. 

Letting go of Chaeyoung’s hand for what felt like the first time in forever, Nayeon moved her hands up to Chaeyoung’s face, holding her cheeks and running her thumbs across them. 

“Chaeyoungie, I’m grateful for not just every Halloween, but every day we get to spend together.” The sweetness in her words transformed onto her lips like lipgloss as she leant in to kiss her girlfriend. Chaeyoung moved her hands to Nayeon’s side as they kissed, the pair content to sit and enjoy this moment for a little longer.

Nayeon hated Halloween, but secretly reminded herself to thank whoever invented the holiday because it brought her to Chaeyoung, and that was something for which she was eternally grateful. 

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't stop thinking about Jichaeng being the height of kids so of course they'd go trick or treating together. And then this fic was born out of that.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this long fic of pure nachaeng fluff! Let me know what you thought in the comments and at twitter (@ultjeonghyo) or send me a cc (pinned tweet in my twitter profile). Happy Halloween!


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